This is the
music that Wolverine must have been hearing in his head while the
sadistic Weapon X Program infused his skeleton with indestructible
adamantium. Of course, this would explain why Logan turned into such
a misanthropic nut job. This record channels enough hatred, loathing
and disgust that, upon listening to it, even the late Mother Theresa
would probably have started eating raw kittens for breakfast.
P.H.O.B.O.S. is an Industrial Doom band from France consisting of
exactly one member: Frédéric Sacri. Mr. Sacri constructs
not the dirty, SABBATH-worshipping Doom of SAINT VITUS, nor is he
interested in the sorrowful, romantic Doom of MY DYING BRIDE and don't
even begin to get the impression that P.H.O.B.O.S. is the kind of
danceable Industrial produced by the likes of NINE INCH NAILS, either.
Oh, no no no no no, unless the "dance" you have in mind
is slowly and furiously slashing your wrists with metal shards. Soundwise,
P.H.O.B.O.S. is twisted, with icy riffs over what sounds like a steamy
factory full of bloody gears ripping people apart. Of the eight tracks,
there are six real songs and those songs hypnotically drone on and
on, seething with sick mechanical grinding and abrasion. Sacri narrates
putridly over top, screaming with enough disgust to send even the
toughest Black Metallers running to hide in their forests. After a
short intro, "Gregarious" fumes away with Industrial chaos
before letting way to the plodding inferno that is "Wisdoom."
My favourite is "Monochrome Red," a 9+ minute number that
is the closest point on the album to accessibility. By "closest
point," of course, I still mean about as close as Hayden Christensen
is to being a good actor.
If you like a little bit of sunshine and optimism in your tunes, or
if you prefer your music to sound like it was actually constructed
by organic beings, take warning. From beginning to end, "Tectonics"
is a cold and harsh affair. In fact, at times it can be a little too
much - listening to this record in one sitting is difficult because
it's just so damn bleak. Nevertheless, "so damn bleak" is
just how many Doomsters like their Metal and for the extremists out
there P.H.O.B.O.S. will hit the spot. Check it out if you like GODFLESH
or extreme Doom acts like KHANATE, or if you just happed to be afflicted
with masochistic tendencies.
- Wesley
D. Cray / aug. 2005 (8/10)
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